Thank You Los Angeles!

November 29, 2012 was a very special day for me. I was awarded a commendation by Supervisor Antonovich from the City of Los Angeles “”In recognition of dedicated service to the affairs of the community and for civic pride demonstrated by numerous contributions…””. As a long time resident of L.A., this was a true honor.

Supervisor Antonovich is well known locally as a huge champion of arts education, in fact, he was even a member of the Los Angeles Arts High School Planning Committee which designed the original plan for LACHSA. The mission, as outlined in 1985, remains clear and inspiring:
“Students at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, through powerful learning experiences, will embrace and excel in the arts and academics while working towards their visions of the future.”
We love that this mission statement prioritizes powerful learning experiences. Isn’t this what we all want for our children?

What also makes LACHSA so unique is its requirement that the school reflect the racial and socio-economic diversity of LA. Los Angeles is so much more than the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. We are a vibrant, diverse community full of hard working civic leaders and local citizens –sometimes struggling—but many times coming together to work for the good of everyone. It is this Los Angeles I want to share in my films. LACHSA is one example of the power of dedicated local leaders coming together to create an extraordinary school.

We hope to share this story of LACHSA and the real Los Angeles with as many communities as possible. If you are not familiar with LACHSA, please do visit their website (http://www.artshigh.org/) to learn more about all their accomplishments for talented young artists.